Automatic dispensers of printed gummed tape

ABSTRACT

An automatic dispenser of printed gummed tape which includes a signal on the tape out of the area containing printed indicia. This signal motivates a control device which in turn stops the feeding of the tape and energizes a cutting device to cut the tape between each area of repetitious printed indicia with accurate indexing. No reliance is placed on measuring the length of section to be cut off by the rotation of tape feeding rolls.

United States Patent Inventors Walter A. Westphal Mequon;

George N. Baum, Milwaukee, Wis. 757,934

Sept. 6, 1968 Feb. 2, 1971 Rexford Paper Company Indianapolis, Ind.

a corporation of Indiana. by mesne assignments Appl. No. Filed PatentedAssignee AUTOMATIC DISPENSERS OF PRINTED GUMMED TAPE 1 Claim, 3 DrawingFigs.

U.S. Cl 83/210, 83/261, 83/365 Int. Cl B26d 5/22, B26d 5/32 Field ofSearch 83/210,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,984 10/1942 Horwitz83/209X 2,338,596 1/1944 Pitt et al. 83/209X 2,655,994 10/1953Vandenberg 83/362X 2,705,466 4/1955 Sargrove eta]. 8 3/362X 2,776,8331/1957 Lakso. 2,810,437 10/1957 Hoitt. 2,939,354 6/1960 King 83/21OXPrimary Examiner-Frank T, Yost Attorneys-John W. Michael, Gerrit D.Foster, Bayard H.

Michael, Paul R. Puerner, Joseph A. Gemignani, Andrew 0. Riteris andSpencer B. Michael ABSTRACT: An automatic dispenser of printed gummedtape which includes a signal on the tape out of the area containingprinted indicia. This signal motivates a control device which in turnstops the feeding of the tape and energizes a cutting device to cut thetape between each area of repetitious printed indicia with accurateindexing. No reliance is placed on measuring the length of section to becut off by the rotation of tape feeding rolls.

AUTOMATIC DISPENSERS OF PRINTED GUMMED TAPE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to automaticdispensers of printed gum tape. Such dispensers measure selected andvariable lengths of tape and cut and condition such lengths for adhesionto packages.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the following US. Patents there areshown dispensers which operate both manually and automatically tomeasure, moisten and cut off selectable lengths of tape:

Nos. 2,333,108, 2,810,437, 2,776,833, and 3,076,586. In all of thesepatents the length of the tape to be severed is measured by the rotationof the feed rolls. The rotational travel of the feed rolls moves an armbetween a start position and a stop position determined by an adjustablypositioned micro switch. The trouble with this is that at each startingand stopping of the tape by moving the feed rolls'into and out ofengagement with it permits slippage between the tape and such rolls.Thus the indexing becomes inaccurate with the result that the severingwill no longer take place in the space on the tape between each area ofrepetitious printed indicia. Thus these machines will not deliver tapein selected lengths with only complete printed indicia areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The essence of this invention is to provide adevice which may be added to existing dispensers or incorporated in newdispensers during manufacture which will take away from the feed rollsthe function of measuring the selected length of severed tape. Thedevice of this invention utilizes signals on and spaced at predetermineddistances on the tape. These signals are scanned by a photoelectricscanner positioned on the dispenser between the supply roll and thecutter. As the signal reaches the scanner an electric control circuitstarts the stopping and cutting cycle.

A feature of this invention is to put the signal in the unprinted areabetween successive areas of printed indicia. This eliminates thepossibility of unwanted actuation of the scanner by printed matter.Because of the structural design of the dispenser the scanner cannot bepositioned at the cutter. Hence, this invention also includes in thescanner a time delay correlated with the speed of travel of the tape, topermit the scanner to be placed at a convenient place on the dispenserin advance of the cutter. Thus the cutting will take place when thesignal on the tape reaches the cutter. Any slippage between tape andfeed rolls for this short travel distance is minimal and not cumulativeand close tolerances will be maintained for each successive cut.

It is also practical to preset the customary length measuring dial,which is operated by the tape-feeding rolls, say 2 to 3 inches shorterthan the final desired length for tape as cut. When the dial reachesthis preset length it will energize the electric control circuit so thatthe scanner will be effective as the signal reaches the scanner. Theadvantage of this is that no clear track is required along an edge ofthe tape and printed or coloring material may extend to the edge of tapeat least for the major portion of the length of the printed area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in side elevation of an automatic dispenserof printed gummed tape embodying the present invention and showing theplacement of the photoelectric scanner with respect to the feed rollsand cutter;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a section of gummed tape showing one printedarea in full and the beginning only of a succeeding identical andrepetitious printed area and an opaque spot in the nonprinted areabetween the printed areas to provide a signal for the photoelectricscanner; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to F IG. 2 with the exception that the signalfor the photoelectric scanner is transparent or consists of an openingthrough the gummed tape.

2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings byreference numerals, the automatic dispenser of printed gummed tape is ofstandard construction. A full and complete description of its structuralelements and their functional relationship as well as its operation iscontained in US. Pat. No. 2,776,833 issued to E. E. Lasko, Jan. 8, 1957for Automatic Power-Driven Tape-Serving Machine and U.S. Pat. No.2,810,437 issued to R. W. Hoitt, Oct. 22, 1957 for Tape Dispenser andCutter Mechanism Therefor.

The following are the essential elements of this dispenser. A roll 10 ofgummed tape removably mounted in the housing of the dispenser and guidedby a plate 12 so as to pass between a pair of rotary feed rolls l4 and16. The feed roll 14 is fixed and is continuously driven by an electricmotor with a speed reducer. The starting of the tape is accomplished byremoving the upper feed roll 16 toward the feed roll 14 to engage thetape between them. The stopping is done by moving roll 16 away from thefixed roll 14. Such movement of the movable feed roller 16 isaccomplished by mounting it on a pivoted bellcrank 18. This bellcrank isshifted by an actuator rod 20 electrically and mechanically controlledby a solenoid through a control system of well-known design. Theactuator rod 20 also operates the cutter mechanism through a linkage(not shown) with a lost motion connection. The cutter mechanism includesa cutting blade 22 which is reciprocally operated by a carrier yoke 24and guided by a slide collar 26. As the tape is moved out it slidesthrough a moistener unit indicated generally at 27 to condition it foradhesion to packages.

The standard dispenser thus described is well known to those skilled inthis art. It also includes a feed length selector means (not shown)operable over a wide range of length selections. This selector means isassociated with the upper feed roll 16 which is the primary measuringmember. Thus if there is any slippage between the tape 10 and roll 16because of starting and stopping, the cutting blade 22 will not severthe tape at the right place. The errors are accumulative and thesevering will soon take place at the printed areas. In normal operationof the standard dispenser the automatic cycle is started by energizingthe electrical control circuit. The upper feed roll 16 moves toward thelower feed roll 14 to engage the tape and start advancing it. Theupperfeed roll moves an arm in the length selector means until it opensa microswitch. This deenergizes the electrical control circuit and theactuator rod 20 moves to the left to first disengage the drivingpressure of the feed rolls and then to move the cutting blade 22 down tosever the tape. The severing action triggers the reset mechanism toinitial starting position.

By this invention the inaccuracies of severing the tape are eliminated.To accomplish this the tape 10 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided withopaque spots 28 on or near an edge of the tape in the unprinted areabetween each repetitive section of .printed matter. For sake ofuniformity in appearance and to permit greater flexibility in thepositioning of the scanner, dual spots may be placed on opposite edges.A photoelectric scanner of well-known design indicated generally at 30is mounted on the housing for the dispenser at a position between theroll tape 10 and the feed rolls 14. The beam from this photoelectricscanner is either reflected from or cut by the spot 28 to start thestopping and cutting cycle of the dispenser. The photoelectric scannerincludes a time delay so that the electrical energization will not takeplace until the spot has travelled from the scanning point to thesevering point. During this short distance of travel there is no changein the driving relationship between the rollers 14 and 16 and slippagewhich occurs for this short duration of travel is minimal andnoncumulative and will not be of any observable amount. Hence, when thespot or signal reaches the cutting blade 22 the standard operatingmechanism of the dispenser will disengage roll 16 and drive the cuttingblade downwardly to sever the tape in substantial alignment with thesignal spots. When the dispenser is used with this photoelectric controlthe selection on the standard automatic length control is placed at agreater distance than the distance between successive spots or signals.Thus, the photoelectric circuit takes over the control of the cutting atthe spots without any interruption from the standard length selectormechanism.

It is within the contemplation of this invention that the signal mayalso be in the form of an opening or other transparent area as shown at32 in FIG. 3. With such transparent signal the beam operates when alight source reaches the photoelectric scanner as the transparent signalpasses between such light source and the scanner. With the opaque signalsuch as shown at 28 in FIG. 2, the scanner is of the reflector type andthe signal is printed from the ink or other material which will reflectthe light from the scanner back to the receiving part of the scanner tosignal the start of the operation.

It is also within the contemplation of this invention to keep theelectrical circuit of the photoelectric scanner 30 open until say 2 or 3inches short of the length of the tape to be severed. The purpose ofthis is to eliminate the necessity of a clear track along an edge of thetape and permit the printed indicia or color to extend to both edges ofthe tape for the major portion of the length of the tape to be severed.This is accomplished by using the customary feed length selector meansor dial to close the electrical circuit from the source of power to thephotoelectric scanner just 2 or 3 inches short of the desired length.This is done by presetting the selector means 2 or 3 inches short of thedesired length so that its arm operates a switch or relay to (a) openthe standard circuit to the cut off solenoid, (b) maintain the feeddrive circuit, and (c) close the circuit to the photoelectric scanner.The scanner then takes over the control and within the time delayfollowing the scanning of the signal will open the feed drive circuitand close the severing circuit. The elimination of the clear track givesgreater flexibility of design for the coloring and printed indicia onthe tape. This arrangement requires the starting of the feed of the tapewith the leading edge and preceding signal at the cutting station.

Upon completion of a severing cycle the feed length selector meansreturns to initial position and the device is ready for the next feedingand cutting cycle.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various modifications and changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. An automatic dispenser of printed gummed tape comprismg:

a roll of gummed tape having spaced areas of repetitious printed matterand signals printed on said tape between said areas;

feed means for feeding and stopping the feeding of said tape to andthrough a cutting station, said feed means including an actuator rod;

length selector means associated with said feed means and presettable todesired lengths;

a cutting station having cutting mechanism operated by said actuator rodfor severing said tape when feeding is stopped;

a control device triggered by the passing of a signal on said tape toeffectuate the stopping of the feed means and the operation of saidcutting mechanism by the actuation of said actuator rod; and

means operated by said selector means to energize said control deviceafter an area of printed matter has passed the trigger area of saidcontrol device.

mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,559 Dated February 2 1971 Inventor) Walter A. Wesphal, Meqgon; andGeorge N. Baum,Milwaukee It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Assignee "Rexford Paper Company" should read Rexford Paper Company, Inc.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of June 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FIETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

1. An automatic dispenser of printed gummed tape comprising: a roll ofgummed tape having spaced areas of repetitious printed matter andsignals printed on said tape between said areas; feed means for feedingand stopping the feeding of said tape to and through a cutting station,said feed means including an actuator rod; length selector meansassociated with said feed means and presettable to desired lengths; acutting station having cutting mechanism operated by said actuator rodfor severing said tape when feeding is stopped; a control devicetriggered by the passing of a signal on said tape to effectuate thestopping of the feed means and the operation of said cutting mechanismby the actuation of said actuator rod; and means operated by saidselector means to energize said control device after an area of printedmatter has passed the trigger area of said control device.